


Dexter Sleeps, Debra Breaks, and Rita fixes what she can

by itismesee



Series: My Dexter AU [3]
Category: Dexter (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 17:06:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18370379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itismesee/pseuds/itismesee
Summary: The third part to Dexter turning in Rudy/Brian for Deb and Rita, who have decided to protect their family.





	Dexter Sleeps, Debra Breaks, and Rita fixes what she can

They go home after the police station, and Rita pushes Dexter right to bed. He hasn’t slept for twenty-four hours or more she is sure because he falls asleep the second his head hits the pillow. She goes out to make lunches; Debra sits at the counter watching her make sandwiches. The kids are home playing in the backyard. They watch them run around through the window.

“So how was it?”, she tries to keep the tone light, easy enough to not answer if Debra doesn’t want to. 

Debra just started to cry, sob into her sandwich. Rita gathers her up into her arms as best as she can and just lets her cry. It takes a while, but soon Debra is able to take some deep breaths without sobbing.

“That came out of nowhere huh?”, a little wet laugh escapes from Debra as she wipes her face.

Rita smiles for a second, “Yeah, shit can do that to you.” That got a bigger laugh from Debra. It wasn’t that funny, but hearing Rita swear ever was a small treat. 

She makes sure to put extra food on Debra’s plate because she knows she is going to hide in the sunroom on the treadmill. She does.

Rita feeds the kids and fields questions of why Auntie Debra is crying all the time and is Dexter sick, why are they sleeping over and what is happening. She tries to keep it simple- A bad man hurt them, and they were going to stay so they could take care of them, that might mean extra hugs or less touching or letting them sleep more, just like when they get the flu. The great things about kids, they are good and doing what you need them to do. She wished they didn’t have to see so much sadness and trauma in their lives. 

She can still hear the treadmill going, so she grabs a plate and peaks in on Dexter. It had only been an hour and he was already awake, staring at the wall. Thankfully not scratching. Debra had muttered something about trimming his nail to the nub, it might not be a bad idea considering how often he kept scratching just in two days. 

She muttered a quiet hey, and slid next to him and placed the food in his lap as he sat up in bed. Dexter was usually a quiet person, but he was good at talking with her usually though. He didn’t share everything, but he liked to share every good though he had with her. No talking felt like it equaled no good thoughts that he could share. 

“You can tell me about the bad things, scary things, even if you think you shouldn’t.” The shock on the face would have been cute if it wasn’t so heartbreaking, “I just want you to know that, that I mean it.”

She grabs his hands before he can start to scratch again, and places half of a sandwich into instead. It takes a moment but he eats a few bites, says sorry and places it on the night table. 

“What are you thinking about? Be honest.” He started to scratch again. She was about to go get the nail clippers when he started.

“I think I’m remembering it more…before my first mom and Biney, not all of its bad but… I always come back to the container. I feel like I know what happened, but I can’t quite understand it like maybe there is more to remember? I don’t know what to think or feel or if I can even feel anything about it.”

It was a lot of pauses and it makes it longer than he means to tell her. Rita listens; holds his hand with both of hers rubbing circles into it. When he is done it feels like he took off whatever he thought he was hiding from her. He felt tired again; his eyes kept blinking longer and longer. He fell asleep against Rita’s shoulder.


End file.
